The full scale of the authorities’ failure to stop systematic abuse at a
residential hospital was exposed after a whistle-blower disclosed that his
warnings had been ignored for nearly six months.

Terry Bryan, a former nurse at the hospital for people with learning difficulties, said that both the care home’s management and the Care Quality Commission, the regulator, had failed to act on his “grave” concerns about the behaviour of staff.

A BBC Panorama investigation, broadcast this week, found evidence that staff were bullying and assaulting residents daily. Four staff from the hospital have been arrested and 13 have been suspended.

Paul Burstow, the social care minister, yesterday described the levels of abuse as “appalling” and ordered a review into why the regulator ignored the concerns raised by Mr Bryan. The Care Quality Commission admitted that it had made an “unforgivable error of judgment”.

The families of two of the victims apparently singled out for abuse are planning legal action against the company which owns the home. The mother of one of the victims said her son deserved “more than an apology”.

Mr Bryan, a senior nurse, began working at Winterbourne View, a residential hospital near Bristol for people with autism and learning difficulties, last August. The home is run by a company called Castlebeck, which has a £55 million turnover and runs more than 50 care homes throughout the country.

Mr Bryan became increasingly concerned by the standard of care and complained to Jim Fazarally, the manager of the home, on Oct 11. A four-page email from Mr Bryan details his concerns about the “confrontational and aggressive” approach of staff.

The email, which has been handed to police, names several staff members who were later filmed abusing patients by Panorama.

He wrote: “Certain established staff members seem to relish restraint procedures. I have witnessed some with smiles on their faces as they restrain people. I see scant regard for the person’s feelings whilst they are being held … and definitely no empathy.”

When his managers failed to address his concerns, Mr Bryan resigned. He complained to the Care Quality Commission in December, stating that serious abuse was taking place at Winterbourne and asking it to get in touch with him.

He received no response other than two automated emails. He subsequently called the commission, only to be told that the person dealing with his complaint was on holiday. Frustrated by the failure of the authorities to take his complaint seriously, Mr Bryan turned to Panorama.

“The Care Quality Commission should have acted,” he said. “This was a care home with a culture of restraint, an archaic service run by amateurs. I have never seen anything like this in my 35 years of experience. If they had listened to what I was saying then this abuse could have been stopped.”

Dame Jo Williams, chairman of the commission, admitted that the regulator had been warned repeatedly by Mr Bryan. She said: “Once should have been enough.”

Mr Bryan’s email raised particular concerns about Wayne Rogers, a member of staff who was filmed by Panorama appearing to repeatedly abuse patients.

The mother of Simon, a 37-year-old with a mental age of four who was repeatedly singled out for abuse, said: “I am still very angry about what happened to Simon and in a state of shock. This was assault and abuse, we never chose for him to be there. We are considering legal action because Simon deserves more than an apology.”